A Friendly Visit
by Skaterbob2
Summary: Sadie has arrived in Blackwater, after a few long years in South America. She's eager to visit some old friends again, but a lot has happened since she went away. But Beecher's Hope isn't quite so empty yet.
1. Far Away

Sadie rode into the all too familiar town of Blackwater, and she had to say, it hadn't changed at all. Even with the addition of the bank and the bureau building, they just added to the sense of superiority and poshness the city had. Her nose crinkled at the sight of sophisticated ladies of class walking down the paved streets, holding paper umbrellas, despite the lack of rain, and giggling amongst themselves, surely about some backhanded gossip regarding their close friend. Sadie scoffed at how people like them had the audacity to label others such as herself as "uncultured" and "savage." She doubted they had ever picked up a gun or tool in their lives, and they had the ignorant smiles to prove it.

She tied up her horse at a hitching post near the bank. The concrete sidewalk felt strange under her boots, she much preferred the soft ground to something so dense. She walked past the theatre, glancing at the show being played. Something called "The Escape," Sadie simply kept walking, she had no interest in the silent movies that seemed to be the new craze, who has time to stare at a screen?

Well, these people she guessed.

She lit a cigarette and walked into the saloon, a man perked his head up and immediately called her over to join in on a game of blackjack. Sadie rolled her eyes and strolled right by him, like she needed to lose anymore cash. She leaned against the bar and waited for the bartender to turn his attention away from the blonde socialite at the far end of the counter, "Excuse me?" She asked.

The bartender ignored her and resumed his flirtatious conversation, Sadie could see the affection was very unrequited. The woman seemed disgusted to have a man so "below her class" talking to her. "Hey! Bartender, give me a whisky for God's sake." Sadie yelled again. The fellers at the blackjack table turned their heads at the sudden commotion. They were treated to a short show when Sadie grabbed the woman's glass and tossed it against the far wall, following immediately with dragging the woman outside by her corset, which came undone along with her blouse as she fell on the pavement outside, much to the enjoyment of some gentlemen playing poker. "Whisky. Now." She looked at the bartender who quickly grabbed a bottle and poured her a drink.

"On the house." He stammered. As he put away the bottle.

"Well, now I just might forgive you. Now go lick yourself for a few minutes ya damn dog." Sadie growled. The man walked to the back room with his head down, Sadie chuckled while the woman cleaning and the blackjack players ridiculed the man.

As she reached over the counter and grabbed the whisky bottle, a familiar voice called out to her. "Never was a patient one were you Mrs. Adler?" Mary-Beth placed her hands against the bar next to her, "But you always did have a knack for scaring the daylight out of fellers." The pair shared a brief moment laughter before Sadie started talking.

"Mary-Beth! How long has it been? Fourteen years?"

"Almost fifteen, I believe. John told me you've been busy in South America, how'd that go?"

Sadie shrugged, "I was down there for a few years, but things went downhill real fast for me." She gulped down her drink as she finished.

"What happened?" Mary-Beth inquired as the pair moved to a table.

"Well... I was working as a bodyguard for some plantation owner in Cuba for a long while, but then he was killed by the servants in his mansion, any of his guards were also being taken care of, and being one of his best guns I had to get outta there." Sadie retold her story as she sat down. "Got back to mainland, and started working with that Mexican revolutionary back in 1912, Reyes I think his name was."

"Oh yeah, he's been in all the papers." Mary-Beth said, "Not for very good reasons so far."

"Oh, it's not gonna get better. I did a few normal jobs for him, kill a few remaining Sanchez supporters, guard a train full of weapons, things like that. But about a month ago, I was in Tesoro Azul, a small village down there. He told me it was full of bandits, and that he needed someone with skills to clear 'em out." Sadie cleared her throat. "I didn't doubt his story, I was well aware the place had a history of being a hive for criminals. But I arrived, and there isn't a bandit in sight. Rather a small community had moved in. At least five families, a few independent merchants. I hesitated because... well... who wouldn't? I wasn't about to wipe out a town because Reyes told me too."

The far away look in Sadie's eye told Mary-Beth this story wasn't over, and the conclusion would be quite traumatic.

"The soldiers accompanying me... opened fire... the entire village was out in the main road, wanting to see who had arrived in town, they were an easy target... everybody looked to be dead in a few moments." Sadie clenched her jaw and wished she still had some booze left. "After that, I took off. Came back through Armadillo and decided to stop in Blackwater, check in on John. Its been at least six years since I last spoke with him."

"Ahh that John, I'm sure he's fine. He has a habit of coming out on top, no matter what trouble he's in." Mary-Beth said.

"You wanna join me? I'm heading to Beecher's hope right now." Sadie offered.

"Oh I would love to see John again," Mary-Beth shook her head, "but I'm catching a train to Saint Denis in a bit." Sadie sighed.

"Well, that's too bad." Sadie stepped away from the bar, "You take care of yourself, Gaskill. Hope I see ya again soon."

"Goodbye Ms. Adler,"

Sadie mounted her horse outside, and trotted out off the paved streets and back on the familiar dirt road. The ride to Beecher's Hope was short, but in the time it took her to reach the hill overlooking the ranch, a drizzle had began to start and rain coated her leather duster. She spotted a man standing underneath a tree, standing as still as a statue.

Sadie nearly called John's name, but her eye caught sight of three crosses sticking outta the dirt. Her stomach dropped, it couldn't be...

She stepped off her mount and walked towards the man she prayed was John. She stopped when she was right next to him, and his features were all to unfamiliar. She looked towards the graves,

_John Marston_

_Abigail Marston_

_Uncle_

Sadie looked at the man, he slowly met her gaze. "You got a reason to be here, Miss?" His tone was riddled with annoyance, his glare seemed to leave Sadie speechless, something that hadn't been done in a long while.

"I- I... I'm sorry... I thought my friend was still livin' here. But... seems time got to him before I did." Sadie said, her voice was so raspy that her words were barely audible.

The man scoffed, "Time had nothing to do with it." He looked at her again, "You knew my father?" Those words perked Sadie up, and her mind focused on the man in front of her.

"Jack? Guess, I can't blame ya for not remembering me." Sadie held out her hand, Jack reluctantly shook it. "I'm Sadie Adler, I stayed with y'all for a while." Jack's face softened as he remembered the woman, she was the one who went with Dad to kill that man, Michael... no, Micah, that was it.

"You were the lady who got stabbed on Mount Hagen, was you?" Sadie nodded. "Pa didn't like to talk a whole lot about that day. I wasn't sure if he regretted it or not, but the way he told stories about Micah, not sure I'd feel so merciful."

Sadie stepped towards the tombstone. "Who did this?" Her voice had hardened, and was thick with a barely masked rage.

"Excuse me?"

"You said yourself, "Time had nothin' to do with it." Who killed him." Jack exhaled through his nose sharply.

"Edgar Ross, you might remember him."

"The name is familiar, he was one of the suits hassling Arthur and the rest of us." Sadie recounted.

"I got a lead waiting in Blackwater," He walked to his horse, as he mounted, he turned to Sadie. "If revenge is still your game, you're welcome to join me." Sadie mounted her own horse in an instant.

"Lets get this bastard."


	2. Misgivings

By the time the pair had reached Blackwater, the weather had cleared up and the sun was shining through the clouds once again. Jack sighed, the weather was always so fickle at this time of year. The town was as busy as usual, travelers boarding the 12:00 train to Saint Denis, bankers straightening their tie as they walk into the hotel or saloon with some poor girl on their arm, and stray dogs licking up meal scraps and feces off the streets. No matter how many times he visited, Blackwater never failed to disgust Jack. One of the things he inherited from his father that he didn't consider unfortunate, was the disdain for cities in general. The people and buildings all reeked of degeneracy.

"Where's your contact meeting ya?" Sadie asked, the pair hitched their horses by the train station and continued on foot.

"Should be around here. Be on the lookout for a suited fella." Jack passively said, he glanced around the train station, scanning the faces of travelers and the various loiterers. He spotted a man matching the description he got in the letter. Black suit, bowler hat, glasses. He approached the man, who turned to him as the pair drew closer.

"Can I help you sir?" The man asked. He had an accent that sure as hell wasn't local, New York or Chicago probably.

"My names Jack Marston, I believe you delivered this letter to my property at Beechers Hope." Jack held up the empty envelope. The man glanced at the note, then behind him to Sadie.

"Who's she?" He asked, his tone seemed cautious.

"A friend, she's got similar aspirations to you and me, of that you can be sure." Jack assured the man

He looked around. "Let's y'all in private. Too many eyes and ears for my liking." The man led them off into an alley, Sadie grabbed Jacks shoulder and whispered to him.

"I don't like this. A suit leading us down some smelly and dark alleyway? Screams trap to me." Jack moved her hand from his shoulder as he opened his mouth. The man cut him off however, they were effectively out of sight of the local population, and he was finally comfortable sharing his information.

"My name is Cecil Reddington, I'm with the F.B.I-" Sadie immediatley pulled her gun, lining the barrel up with Cecil's ugly nose. He gasped and raised his hands, as Jack grabbed her wrist.

"The hell are ya doing?!" He yelled.

"I told you it was a setup! F.B.I. is setting us up, just like they set the gang up! Like they set your father up! I'm killing this fool!" Sadie yelled, pushing Jack away. She pulled the hammer back when Jack aimed the gun into the sky, with much more strength applied.

"Are you out of your damn mind?" He hissed. "Even is this is a trap, we would've been long dead by now. He ain't about to give no monologue leading with the fact he's a fed!" Jack was making sure to keep his voice down, but loud enough so Sadie would get his point. "Ain't shooting a gun would just bring the law right on top of us! You fuckin' want that?" He grabbed the revolver from her hand and motioned for Cecil to continue, his eyes never leaving Sadie or relenting in their glare.

"As... I was saying..." Cecil straightened his tie and attempted to regain his composure. Looking down the barrel of a gun had an odd way of making you nervous. "I'm with the F.B.I. and about two years back, the guy you're looking for retired. Edgar Ross. We threw a small party at the bar, where he loudly bragged about his cabin near Lake Don Julio that he could easily afford after the raise he got from the governor. For bringing down Dutch Van Der Linde and all." Jack scoffed, Sadie's knuckles grew white. "Our agency sent a letter to him last week, to the same address of that cabin. I don't know what the contents of that letter were. But the important thing is he's there. Lake Don Julio."

"What you gaining from this?" Sadie asked. Cecil gulped and stammered a response. Sadie grew even more impatient and repeated herself. "What you getting from this? Ain't no suit just gonna kill their old boss 'cause it strikes their fancy."

Jacked nodded. "She's got a point. Why are you selling out Ross?"

"The rat fuck got my sister killed. During Van Der Linde's bank robbery, back in nineteen-eleven, Dutch was holed up in the bank. Ross knew he had hostages. For this sensitive mission of rescuing civilians and brining down one of the most dangerous outlaws this side of the Grizzlies, he sends two deputies and a wanted gunslinger." Cecil clears his throat, blinking a bit before continuing. "Dutch shot my sis' right in the back of the head. She had just turned nineteen that week. And was robbed of the rest of her life cause that bastard didn't feel like getting blood on his suit."

Jack looked down, keeping his eyes on his boots for a few moments before slightly nodding. "Pretty damn good reason." He turned to leave the alley, "I'll follow up on this cabin lead. If I find out you steered me wrong, I'm killing you before she has the chance." He points to Sadie as he finishes his sentence. Cecil makes a gesture signaling he understands before the two gunslingers move to their horses.

"Wanna give me back my gun?" Sadie muttered.

"You were out of line." Jack responded. He raised his leg over his horse and moved onto the road. Sadie trotted beside him.

"You ain't in no position to tell me when I'm out of line!" Sadie yelled. "I'm not gonna apologize for trying to keep us safe."

"We've been working together for all of forty minutes and you've already lost my trust." Jack spat.

Sadie scoffed "You don't know what happened in those days, you don't understand what those feds-"

"You shut your damn mouth lady." Jack hissed. Sadie was taken aback a bit. "You don't know shit about what Ross or any of the rest of them did. So don't go pretending like you's is the only one who's had people abusing 'em."

Sadie got the message. The ride out of West Elizabeth was spent in silence, only the chorus of the hooves on the dirt and the hard tension between the duo filling the air.


	3. Enemy Of The State

_Sadie hopped off her horse a ways down the road from the walled-off village. The place looked quiet and abandoned, but she had to make sure first. She began rooting through her saddlebag looking for a pair of binoculars while the group of soldiers accompanying her dismounted as well. Reyes has insisted on a squad escorting her during this mission. It was clear from his tone that the decision wasn't made out of concern for her safety, more so a measure to prevent any perfidy on her end._

_Sadie wasn't sure what she had done that would give Reyes any reason to distrust her. Sure, she was a hired gun that wandered in from across the border, any employer of hers would be a fool to trust her the moment they met. But she'd been as loyal as anyone could be to Reyes for nearly two and a half years, if she wanted him dead he'd certainly know it. Captain Vazquez, who was leading the group of soldiers and talked as if he outranked Sadie too, approached her from her right side and gave a slight cough. Sadie gave him a harsh glance before turning her attention back to their target. She wasn't an official member of the military, but Vazquez' disrespect was unwarranted. In comparison, Reyes had nothing to worry about from her, if she wanted anybody in Mexico dead he was certainly high up on her hit list._

_"__Quiero dos hombres en la parte de atrás a las. Atraparlos cuando intentan correr." Vazquez barked out an order in Spanish and two of the smaller grunts scattered off._

_"Where the hell they off too?" Sadie sniped at him, "You wanna repeat that to me in English, Senor?"_

_"Easy, puta." Vazquez growled. "Focus on your work. The traitors aren't expecting us, so we should go straight through the door and open fire on anybody we see in there." Vazquez relayed the plan to her as if she was stupid._

_"A pretty shit plan, but if you're so confident I'll let you take the lead. If we get lucky, they'll blow your head off the second you walk in the door and I can do the job right and without dealing with your shit." Sadie spat. The Captain scoffed and grabbed the binoculars out of her hand. Sadie felt inclined to slice his fingers off at such an audacious at, but her impending payday convinced her to stay her hand._

_"Uh uh, you're going with us. No puta is getting the glory while my boys do all the dirty work." Vazquez barked. "So grab your rifle and be ready to move." The rest of the troops assembled around Vazquez as he pulled his revolver from his holster. Sadie grumbled as she pulled her Evans repeater from her saddle, as she began loading rounds a though occurred to her._

_"Are you sure the information we got on this place is credible, if these were the 'dangerous insurgents' we were warned about, wouldn't they have some kind of perimeter guard? Or even one poor fool guarding the gate?" Sadie argued._

_"Where do you get off questioning President Reyes?" Vazquez spat through gritted teeth. "When I tell him about this, you'll be discharged. Besides, no guard only means our jobs is easier." Vazquez gave the order to advance, and the group began slinking towards the dusty wooden gate. Sadie situated herself on one side of the doors, while some lowly private got in position to kick them open. Once the doors burst wide, Sadie sprang into action. With her rifle raised, she turned the corner and was met with a rather confusing sight._

_Not a single armed soul was in sight, Sadie glanced down the main street dividing the village. There was a man operating a fruit stand and tending to a group of customers. A trio of kids chased each other in a friendly game. A man was brushing the mane of a donkey. That was all Sadie got to see before the first rounds went off. Several of the villagers went down immediately, the rest ran into their homes. Some brave souls grabbed a spare revolver and began fighting back. Sadie felt her rifle dropping to the ground and her stomach turned somethin' horrible. She heard shouting to her left, "__Corten a estos traidores! Hasta los niños." She turned and saw Vazquez pushing his men into the village like they were charging into a fierce battle rather then a slaughter. She grabbed him and threw him against a wall._

_"You fucking slime!" She landed a punch on him and felt his teeth cut her knuckle. "These aren't soldiers! They're people!"_

_"Get the fuck off me bitch!" He yelled. He shoved her off with one hand and wiped the blood of his chin with the other. "They're monsters and deserve death!" __Sadie felt his and wrap around her throat, she struggled against his arm as he raised his revolver and fired in another direction. His eyes turned to her, "This gun is too good for you, I'm killing you with my own two hands!"_

_Sadie reached into her jacket, pulling her knife from the inside holster and sliced across Vazquez' forearm. He recoiled and stumbled back, Sadie grabbed the back of his head and pulled him closer, guiding her knife into his throat. Vazquez fell back, his pathetic chokes accompanying the ongoing orchestra of gunfire. She ran into the street and pulled her sidearm. Her eyes landed on four soldiers sweeping the street for any villagers. She dropped one before diving behind an overturned cart. The others turned and opened fire, bullets landing in the dirt around her. She leaned out of her cover and dropped two more. The last one rushed her as she began reloading, pummeling her in the forehead with the butt of his shotgun. Sadie stumbled back, groaning at the pain. The adrenaline in her blood allowed her to put the pain aside and kick the young man in the knee. He landed on all fours as Sadie crawled forward and punctured his chest with her knife. She jumped over him and ran down the street._

_She turned her head and caught a soldier walking out of a house, she quickly fired off a round and watched him drop. She turned her head when she heard a gun fire in the building closest to her. She sprinted to the porch and stalked through the already opened door and down the hallway. She caught a soldier walking out of a room, putting a few rounds into his stomach. She stepped over him and looked into the room he had just exited, spotting the corpse of a elderly man in bed. She heard whimpering in the next room. She carefully stepped inside, laying her eyes on a mother with her arms wrapped around a little girl, no older then eight. They cried out when they saw her, but she holstered her gun and shushed them._

_She cleared her throat and prayed that the Spanish she learned over the years wouldn't fail her as she tried to calm the two down. "__Está bien. No voy a lastimarte. Ya no estoy con ellos" The mother relaxed slightly and nodded. Sadie walked over and offered her hand. "Tenemos que irnos. Quédate conmigo y estarás a salvo." The woman took Sadie's hand, her daughter standing closely beside her. "Vamos a mi caballo. Esta afuera-"_

_Shouting from outside cut her off. She tried to pull the woman down as the guns started firing through the windows. But she felt the heavy weight of a corpse wrack her chest. The girl let out a horrible cry as she gripped the woman tightly. Sadie stood up and looked around the room. She noticed the soldiers walking to the house, they'd be making sure they'd finished her off. She had to get out now. She kneeled down to the girl, "Lo siento, tenemos que irnos!" She tried to grab the girl but she just cried harder. Sadie could hear the soldiers enter the house, she pulled on the girl as hard as she could. But she wouldn't budge. Sadie, with tears in her eyes, dived through a back window. She ran out of the alley while another gunshot hit her ears, this one somehow louder than the others._

_"How could you do that?"_

_"How could you let her die?"_

_'You could've saved them. But you ran like a coward."_

_"WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE HER?"_

Sadie shot up from her bedroll, the sweat on her forehead made her hair stick in an unflattering manner. Her breath came out in labored huffs as she heard Jack jump up.

"What! Shit," He waved his gun around and stumbled as his foot caught on the sleeping bag. "What the hell happened?" He questioned.

Sadie tried to calm herself down. Grabbing the water from her pack and taking a large gulp. Her breath slowed down, and she responded with "I'm fine." She didn't meet his gaze, simply kept looking at her boots. "Nightmares."

Jack nodded. "You wanna talk about 'em? I read in a book from one of them eastern doctors that it helps."

Sadie shook her head, "No. But thanks for the offer. I'll be fine," she finally looked up at him. "Get back to sleep. We're heading to Lake Don Julio at first light." Jack sighed and laid back. Sadie heard him snore as he drifted back to sleep, but she continued to lay there for a long while before she entered a restless sleep.

**(Sorry to anybody fluent in Spanish because I'm sure that it was a travesty filled with grammar errors and misspellings.)**


End file.
